Wall construction



Jan. 18, 1938. H. HoLDswoRTx-l WALL CONSTRUCTION 'Filed Jan. 7, 1937 Y Iz-w nu! mi MJZ TI ILA.

Patented lJan. 18, 1938 UN1TED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,105,771 WALL CONSTRUCTION porationA of New York Application January 7, 1937, Serial No. 119,421

f provided with base members and with top members, in which said uprights have a'vertical sliding fit.

Other objects are to provide an extremely simple and efficient construction which can be manufactured and assembled at low cost.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawingwhich illustrated a preferred embodiment thereof, it

being understood that the above statement of the objects of my invention is intended generally to explain the same without limiting it in any manner.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation on the line 2 2 lof Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, this diagrammatically shows the floor l and the ceiling 2. 'I'he construction includes a base member 3 and a top member B. In this particular embodiment, the base member 3 is connected to the floor by means I of fastening members 5, and the top member 4 is connected to the ceiling 2 by corresponding fastening members 5a.

The base or bottom member 3 and the top member are similar in general construction.

As shown in Fig. 2, the base member 3 may be made by bending a suitable metal blank and it includes a base web or base portion 3a, upstanding webs or arms 3b, and top Webs 3c which make an angle of about 45 with the vertical webs 3b. As shown in Fig. 4, the top inclined webs 3c are provided with spaced slots 8, which extend substantially to the tops of the vertical webs 3b. Referring to Fig. 2, the top member consists of a top web 6a, depending vertical webs db, and bottom inclined webs c which also make angles of about 45 with the depending vertical webs lb. 'I'he height of the top4 member is preferably greater than the height of the bottom member 3. Likewise the vertical webs 4b of the top member d are provldedl with suitable spaced openings l,

. 5 through which plaster or the like may be admitted, in the process of making and nishing the wall or partition.-

'Ihe bottom webs 4c of the top member 4 are provided with .slots 8, which extend substantially l0 to the lower ends of the vertical Webs 4 b.

In this particular embodiment, the uprights consist of channel irons 9, which havepreferably U-shaped cross-sections as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In order to utilize this construction for making; 15 a wall orv partition or the like, the members 3 and 4 are suitably secured in position so that their transverse slots 6 and 8 are arranged in vertically aligned pairs. Each channel iron 9 is then slidably interftted with a pair of transverse slots 8, and said channel iron is then pushed upwardly until the bottom end of said channel iron is above and is aligned with the corresponding slots 6. The channel iron is then lowered so that its bottom end passes through the slots 6 until s aid bottom end rests upon the top surface of the bot-l tom web 3a. In this position the top of the channel iron 9 extends above the upper ends of the slots 8, and the top of said channel iron is indicated'by the line Il.

It is preferable to have the top of the upright 9 located above the bottom edgesof the vertical webs 4b. The width of the side webs of the channel iron 9 is substantially equal 'to the width of the slots 8 and the width of the slots 6, enough clearance being provided so that the uprights 9 can be easily slid into position.

Hence, when the assembly is made as shown in Fig. 1, the uprights 9 are heldin substantially vertical position and they are held Iagainst any substantial tipping. movement. After this assembly has been made, the partition or wall may be completed in the manner specified in said ap- 'plication Serial No. 105,661, by connecting metal mesh or other suitable'members between the uprights 9, and then covering said metal mesh with wall board or plaster or the like.

I do not wish to be limited to any particular means for completing the construction of the Wall or partition, between the uprights 9. This construction may be used for building an exterior wall or an interior wall or partition of any kind. In completing the wall or partition the members 3 and may be lled with plaster or the like.

Of course the members 3 and 4 are concealed when the floors and ceilings are iinished.

I do not wish to be limited to any particular angle between the members 3c and 3b, as long as saidvmembers 3c extend inwardly relative to the members 3b, so that the edge walls of the slots 6 are close to the lateral surfaces of the upright, thus preventing any lateral shifting of the bottom end of the upright. The transverse distance beiween the inner walls of the webs 3b is substantially equal to the transverse dimension or breadth of the upright 9, so as to prevent any substantial shifting of the bottom end of the upright 9, in a direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the member 3.

These remarks apply to the construction and dimensions of the member 4, since the members 3 and 4 are substantially identical in shape, save that the member 4 is preferably, but not necessarily deeper than the member 3. if desired, the members 3 and 4 could be made of identical shape and dimensions.

While I have shown straight channel irons or uprights 9, whose end portions are held between the inwardly directed members 3c and 4c, and also between the webs 3b and 4b, the invention is not necessarily limited to straight uprights, or to uprights which are truly vertical. It is suicient for the purposes of the invention if the lower end portion of the member 9 is held against any substantial lateral movement by the members 3b and 3c and the upper end portion of the upright 9 is held against lateral shifting by means of the members 4b and 4c.

I have shown preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is clear that numerous changes and omissions can be made without departing from its spirit. A

I claim:

1. A wall construction which comprises a hollow lower member and ahollow upper member 'and intermediate upstanding members, said lower slots of said lower member and of said upper member, the Widths of said upstanding members being substantially equal to the widths of said slots, the transverse dimensions of said upstanding members being substantially equal to the transverse dimensions of said bottom and top members, so that said upstanding members can be assembled slidingly with said lower and upper members and said upstanding members are held in predetermined normal position by the engagements of their top and bottom end-por tions with the walls of the slots of said lower and upper members, the heights of said upstanding members being less than the maximum vertical distance between said lower member and said upper member.

2. A wall construction which comprises a hollow channel-shaped lower member having inwardly extending webs at the upper end thereof and a top member of like construction and having inwardly extending webs at the bottom end thereof, said webs being spaced from each other in the lower member anc. in the upper member so as to provide spaced slots, said slots of said lower member and of said upper member being in vertical alignment, channel ircns located between said lower member and said upper member, the lower end portions of said channel .irons extending through the slots of the lower member, the upper end portions of said channel irons extending through the corresponding superposed slots of the upper member, the width of each channel iron being substantially equal to the widths ol said slots, the transverse dimensions of said channel irons being substantially equal to the transverse dimensions of said lower member and of said upper member, the height of said channel irons being less than the total heights of said channel-shaped members plus the vertical distance between them.

HARRY HOLDSWORTH. 

